When Did the Apostles Pray?

Part 4 of 8

As we search God's precious Word, we're seeing the many different aspects of prayer present within. We are taking somewhat of an unusual approach, in that we're discovering what Scripture says from the practice and perspective of the early church apostles. Who better to examine in our learning of prayer than the very ones who begged Jesus, "Teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1)! Who better to learn from than those who walked daily with Jesus, gleaning His perfect instruction, and recording it for our use? Indeed, the practice of the apostles is a mine of truth. Today, I want to observe yet another facet of this gem: when did the apostles pray?

It is clear that we live in an age of prayer. In fact, I dare say that prayer today is perhaps more fervent and frequent than it ever has been, with exception of the early church. For God's remnant, the heart is steadily becoming more and more poised toward heaven, and more and more eager to hear whispers from His throne. Now more than ever should we take heed to the Scriptural admonition! But to do so, we first must learn... when did the apostles pray?

- Pray without ceasing! One of the most commonly referenced Scriptures regarding this truth is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. It reads, "Pray without ceasing". Many men have their opinions concerning what this small verse is to teach us, but I'm interested in the intent of the original apostle who wrote it. What did he who penned these words have in mind? Was it a literal statement? A figurative?

Firstly, I want to observe but a few details that this small verse seems to teach us. As we observe these details, I believe the answer to our posed question will become clear. These minor details may appear obvious and insignificant for most readers, however, you would be surprised to see the gross and binding religion that exists.

(1) The voice is not essential. No, prayer is not always to be made with the voice, for ceaseless vocal prayer is a physical impossibility. Instead, the apostle must have intended to display the un-necessity of such. Prayer is a posture of the heart, which is often reflected upon the mouth, but not absolutely. To observe this literally, there would of course be no opportunity for preaching and hearing, for the exchange of friendly intercourse, for business, or for any other of the duties of life. It was never the design of the Lord Jesus that our throats, lungs, and tongues should be for ever at work. We may speak a thousand words which seem to be prayer, and yet never pray; on the other hand, we may cry into God's ear most effectually, and yet never say a word. In the book of Exodus, God is represented as saying to Moses, "Why criest thou unto me?"... And yet it is not recorded that Moses had uttered so much as a single syllable at that time. It is true that the use of the voice often helps prayer, but at the same time it is not essential; it does not enter at all into the acceptability, reality, or prevalence of prayer. As Spurgeon has said, "Silence is as fit a garment for devotion as any that language can fashion". This may upset many a religious man, but that makes no difference to me. The truth can defend itself.

(2) The posture is not essential. Again, it is a physical impossibility, and also a detriment to one's health, to remain upon one's knees ceaselessly. Could this be what the apostle intended! Of course not. It's funny to think how so many of us strive for a literal meaning of spiritual words. One's posture in prayer is no more important than the language one speaks. To what end has our Creator given us feet, if he desires us never to stand upon them? If he had meant us to be on our knees without ceasing, he would have fashioned the body much differently, and would not have endowed us with such unnecessary length of limb. Reader, it is well to pray on one's knees; it is a most reverent posture; it is one which expresses humility, and when humility is truly felt, kneeling is a natural and beautiful token of it, but, at the same time, good men have prayed flat upon their faces, have prayed sitting, have prayed standing, have prayed in any posture, and the posture does not enter into the essence of prayer. Consent not to be placed in bondage by those to whom the bended knee is reckoned of more importance than the contrite heart.

(3) The place is not essential. Many people seem to reserve real prayer for the intercessory meeting, or solely on Sundays. Thankfully however, we have God's truth to guide our erring ways. To pray without ceasing is to often ignore the place of prayer. I've had more effective prayer times in the shower, than I have in some populated prayer meetings. Of course, these words align with Paul's statement upon Mars' Hill: "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24).

Therefore, we can easily determine the intent of Paul's words. They were not a literal command, but an encouragement to never abandon real prayer! Never allow that flow of communion to be halted, not for any reason. If sin were to clog the avenue, repent immediately and reinstate that precious channel of intimacy! The voice, posture and place are utterly insignificant! Just be sure to pray! Just be sure to constantly talk with Jesus! Our prayer should be treated like our breath: required to live! As we breathe without ceasing, so must we pray without ceasing. As there is no attainment in life, of health, strength, or of muscular vigor which can place a man beyond the necessity of breathing, so no condition of spiritual growth or advance in grace will allow a man to rid himself of real prayer. On the contrary, the closer we grow to Jesus, the greater we desire our communion to become!

- Prayer in affliction. When did the apostles pray? Well, they prayed even in affliction! If the apostle encourages us to "pray without ceasing", then he of course means for us to remain prayerful in all seasons of life. A man may find it easy to thank God in surplus and peace, but what about in lack? What about in warfare? Will our lips still speak sincere gratitude when there's no fruit on the vine, or no herd in the stall? Will our hearts leap for joy even when affliction has ravished our natural state? Oh reader, a genuine prayer in affliction is an accurate portrait of one's nature: capturing the true testimony of you, it's subject.

All throughout Scripture, we find the early apostles communing with the Holy Spirit, even in times of great distress. Could this practice be recorded in vain? Of course not.. Every jot and tittle is "for our learning" (Rom 15:4)!

For just one excellent example of this truth, let us turn to 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, regarding Paul in his afflictions: "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong". In my meager opinion, no other early church figure knew as much heartache, distress, torment and suffering as the Apostle Paul. And no other church figure knew and experienced such great intimacy and relationship with the Holy Ghost as the Apostle Paul. We would be foolish to think these two instances are not related.

I marvel at how Paul could find it within himself to actually "glory" in his awful tribulations. What any normal and sinful man would use to build a case for God's injustice, Paul used as a vehicle of gratitude! And why? Because he knew the imminent fruit of such trials: the glory of God (1 Pet 1:6-7; Rom 8:28-30). "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Cor 4:17)! Paul endured all things for this cause (2 Tim 2:10).. He knew of his inheritance (Heb 9:15)! Friends, do we have such sight? Even in the perilous pit, may our lips still utter His praises! Even in the terrible trial, may we find ourselves bowing to God's sovereignty. This was the practice of the apostles, and it should be our mode as well. When did the apostles pray? A better question would be, "when did they NOT?"

To be continued...

All Spiritual Blessings!

"...Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings..." (Ephesians 1:3_

All the goodness of the past, the present, and the future, Christ bestows upon his people. In the mysterious ages of the past the Lord Jesus was his Father's first elect, and in his election he gave us an interest, for we were chosen in him from before the foundation of the world. He had from all eternity the prerogatives of Sonship, as his Father's only-begotten and well-beloved Son, and he has, in the riches of his grace, by adoption and regeneration, elevated us to sonship also, so that to us he has given power to become the sons of God. The eternal covenant, based upon suretiship and confirmed by oath, is ours, for our strong consolation and security. In the everlasting settlements of predestinating wisdom and omnipotent decree, the eye of the Lord Jesus was ever fixed on us; and we may rest assured that in the whole roll of destiny there is not a line which militates against the interests of his redeemed. The great betrothal of the Prince of Glory is ours, for it is to us that he is affianced, as the sacred nuptials shall ere long declare to an assembled universe. The marvellous incarnation of the God of heaven, with all the amazing condescension and humiliation which attended it, is ours. The bloody sweat, the scourge, the cross, are ours for ever. Whatever blissful consequences flow from perfect obedience, finished atonement, resurrection, ascension, or intercession, all are ours by his own gift. Upon his breastplate he is now bearing our names; and in his authoritative pleadings at the throne he remembers our persons and pleads our cause. his dominion over principalities and powers, and his absolute majesty in heaven, he employs for the benefit of them who trust in him. His high estate is as much at our service as was his condition of abasement. He who gave himself for us in the depths of woe and death, doth not withdraw the grant now that he is enthroned in the highest heavens.

- C.H.S.

Receiving Revelation..

The following article was written by Pastor Bill Johnson:

“How do I receive revelation?”

Many people ask me to pray for them to receive greater revelation from Scripture. While it’s always an honor to bless someone with prayer, it is seldom understood how revelation comes, or to whom it comes. One of the greatest joys in life is hearing from God. There is no downside. But there is a cost that comes with the impartation.

The following is a list of practical suggestions for those wanting to grow in revelation from God.

1. Become childlike. Simplicity and humility of heart helps qualify a person to hear from God, while the desire to be profound is a wasted desire. What many discover after years of teaching is that the word that is simple is often the most profound. “At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.” (Matthew 11:25)

2. Obey what you know. Jesus taught His followers, “If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” (John 7:17) “If anyone wills . . . he shall know” – Clarity comes to the one willing to do the will of God. The willingness to obey attracts revelation, because God is the ultimate steward, investing His treasures into fertile ground – the surrendered heart.

3. Learn the biblical art of ‘meditation’. “I call to remembrance my song in the night; I will meditate within my heart, and my spirit makes diligent search.” (Psalms 77:6) Biblical meditation is a diligent search. Whereas religious cults teach people to empty their minds as the means of meditation, the Bible teaches us to fill our minds with God’s Word. Meditation has a quiet heart and a ‘directed’ mind. Mulling a word over in our heart, with a pursuit that springs from the inquisitive child’s heart, is meditation.

4. Live in faith. Living by faith in my present assignment makes me ready for more. “Whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Notice that the light of the gospel comes to the person who believes. Revelation comes to the one expressing faith! Live with the understanding that God has already willed to give you His mysteries (Matthew 13:11), and ask accordingly. Then thank Him in advance.

5. Acquire an understanding heart. This sort of heart has the foundations in place for something to be constructed upon it. These are the basic concepts of the King and His kingdom. Proper foundations attract the builder (revelator) to come and add to those foundations. “But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.” (Proverbs 14:6) God wisely stewards fresh insight to those who have the basic principles in place. When fresh insights come, the understanding heart has a “slot to put it in”. It is not lost as seed spilled on the ground.

6. Give God your nights. I try to end each day with my heart’s affection stirred up and directed to the Holy Spirit. What an amazing way to go to sleep. The Song of Solomon reveals this poetically, “I sleep, but my heart is awake.” (Song of Solomon 5:2) God loves to visit us in the night and give us instruction that we would have a hard time receiving during the day. (Job 33:15-16) The desire to give God our night season flows naturally from the child’s heart that knows revelation cannot be earned. Ask Him specifically to minister to you in the night through visions and dreams. Once you have a dream or vision, write it out, and ask Him for understanding.

7. Give away what you have already received. Never underestimate what hungry people can “pull” from you while you minister the word. Being in a place of continual giving is a sure way of getting more. When we’re in ‘over our heads’ in a ministry situation, we find out what God has been putting into us during the night. He draws out of the deep places in our hearts things that are not yet a part of our conscious thought processes. (Proverbs 20:5)

8. Become a friend of God. God shares His secrets with His friends. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15) He makes all things known to His friends. Not only does He want to share all, He’s invited us to ask anything of Him. But be accustomed to hearing more than you can share with others. Listen as He speaks, but speak only what He gives you freedom to speak about. Some things are revealed only because we’re friends, and are not to be shared with others.

How Did the Apostles Pray?

Part 3 of 8

As we saw yesterday, the focus and direction of the apostolic prayers were primarily geared toward spiritual wants and needs, rather than mere natural ones. Very little were their energies directed upon that which was natural, earthly and perishing. Eternity was present in their hearts! Rather than beseeching God for material gains and carnal comforts, we find them instead longing for spiritual enlightenment, brotherly love, patience, the fruits of righteousness, peace, and the like. We said that this interesting omission of earthly requests may simply be because their faith had elevated to such a degree that it became trustful assurance in the God of their provision; No longer were they to fret over man's natural needs in life. Once we've seen any real glimpse of God in His glory, such relative insignificance's seem to fade into the background. Our zeal becomes redirected off of ourselves, and onto the Prize which we are seeking.

Today, I want to observe another aspect of the prayers of the apostles: How did the apostles pray? The method and practice which was continually implemented is a seed-bed of instruction for us. Observe...

- Prayer and praise - As I mentioned yesterday, the apostolic prayers were made "with thanksgiving" (Phil 4:6). Prayer was befittingly mixed with praise. Let's see just one example: "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me" (Rom 1:8-12). I love how Paul says, "first" I thank my God. Praise was his very first utterance. His petitions only followed. Over and over, we see the apostles hearts drawn out in utter gratitude to God for the countless, wondrous things He had done for His people, and this emboldened them to seek the manifestation of further gifts and graces! If we have not owned the goodness and grace of God for previous mercies,can we expect Him to continue bestowing them upon the ungrateful?

The diligent student cannot help but notice how often the apostle Paul blended thanksgiving with petition:

To the Corinthians: "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ..." (1:4).

To the Ephesians: "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers..." (1:15-16).

To the Philippians: "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you..." (1:3).

To the Colossians: "We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you..." (1:3).

To the Thessalonians: "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers..." (1:2).

To Philemon: "I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers..." (1:4).

Remember that these examples have been recorded for our learning. Perhaps the ignorance of some of these truths are reasons why so many prayers seem to remain unanswered? Prayer and petition, thanksgiving and adoration, should ever be conjoined! "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving" (Col 4:2).

- Prayer and instruction - As gifted teachers, it seems the early apostles never missed an opportunity to impart some measure of divine wisdom. This is the case with their recorded prayers too. In part of the Roman epistle, for example, Paul instructs his readers against their many biases and prejudices, while at the same time praying to God for His power to help them overcome their evils. He taught them to love, and he prayed for such love to spring up in their hearts. Prayer and instruction are consistently intermingled. Observe...

Paul's letter to the Romans found itself in the hands of 2 classes of people: Gentile converts, and Jewish Christians. The Gentile converts (along with several "enlightened" Jewish Christians) rightly viewed the Mosaic covenant as annulled by the new and better covenant. The majority of Jewish Christians, on the other hand, held firm their position that the Mosaic law could not and would not be repealed, and they therefore continued zealous for it - not only personally observing it's many ceremonial requirements (specifically concerning "unclean meats" and "holy days"), but also striving to impose these carnal duties upon the newly saved Gentile Christians. Naturally, this opposition would create quite a stir, and prejudices would be somewhat automatic between the 2 classes.

Therefore, being the father that he was, Paul's heart overflowed with prayerful teaching on this matter: "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God" (Rom 15:5-7).

Paul's duty was to not only pray for brotherly love to be cultivated, but to teach brotherly love as well! In doing so, he showed them that the Kingdom of God is not in meat and drink, but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost (Rom 14:17)! If a man serve Christ in these matters, then he is acceptable to God, and therefore should be approved of men (Rom 14:18). Paul taught his readers to follow after edification, to flee from such biases, and "for meat destroy not the work of God" (Rom 14:20). And why so? Because the Kingdom of God, under the Gospel dispensation, does not consist of such comparative trivialities as using or abstaining from meat and drink (or other indifferent things). In fact, it gives no rule either one way or the other (Rom 14:22-23). While the Jewish religion did in fact consist of such regulations (Heb 9:10), Christianity consists of something infinitely more important and valuable. Let us not be guilty of the sin of the Pharisees, who paid tithes of "mint and anise" but "omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith" (Matt 23:23)! Would that our modern prayers were as weighty and powerful as Paul's! Would that Gospel instruction were squeezed into every word that we uttered! Would that we not only prayed for brotherly love, but taught our people to love too! It would surely make a world of difference.

- "My God" - Finally, it would benefit us to observe the language Paul and others habitually used. How did they address absolute majesty? Was God One who was infinitely removed, unrelated, unconcerned, and far too lofty to be befriended? Of course not! Paul's language implies otherwise. In praying, he repeatedly addressed Him as "my God" (Rom 1:8; 1 Cor 1:4; 14:18; 2 Cor 12:21; Phil 1:3; 4:19; and Phm 1:4). Reader, this was a loving avowal of covenant relationship. The promise was and is, "I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people" (Heb 8:10; Jer 24:7; 31:33; Gen 17:7; Exod 6:7). Most characters of Scripture knew this great truth! God isn't a God who enjoys standing afar off, but is one who created mankind for His pleasure (Rev 4:11; Prov 16:4; Rom 11:36), and for His pleasure created a covenant.. And on this sturdy ground are prayers to be intimately made, and communication is to remain open. This intimate title is confirmed by many throughout Scripture, including Moses and the children of Israel: "The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God" (Exod 15:2)... David: "Oh God, Thou art my God" (Ps 63:1)... Caleb (Josh 14:8).... Ruth (1:16)... Nehemiah (6:14)... Daniel (9:4, 19)... And Jonah (2:6). These and others consistently sought out the God of the universe as "my God", a God of true covenant intimacy, and personal love - a God who is near! Shouldn't we take heed and do the same? Yes, for this is how the apostles prayed!

To be continued...